Although I like gmail a lot, I do miss the folders. I like archiving, getting rid of emails in the inbox. I don't understand why the folder model is supposed to be broken. It's not exactly a reflection of the underlying system. It's a metaphor taken from real life. Interestingly, in real life we don't usually label the things we want to archive, we put things into boxes, drawers, folders and label these containers. Just because foldering is an old metaphor it doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, it might be a great metaphor since it's been successful for a long time. I survive by labeling everything and then archiving it. I also set filters, but they don't always work, interestingly. Labeling is a good way of categorizing emails but it shouldn't replace foldering necessarily.
Also, why does the web have to be different from the desktop? Why not take working paradigms from the desktop and implement them into the web? In a few years we won't talk about "desktop" and "web" anymore, it will all be the same animal. B. On 10/10/07, Robert Hoekman, Jr. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > One more thing - gmail has no folders - just that labeling thing ,which > > means all 2000 of your email are always in your inbox. > > Set up some filters. I tell everything from this and other discussion > lists, for example, to "Skip the inbox" and apply the label > "Discussions". Works like a charm. > > To clarify my earlier answer about Gmail: > > I love Gmail because it's the first webmail client I've seen and used > heavily that didn't try to simply move a desktop paradigm to the web > (like Yahoo! does). I'm so tired of webmail apps that are exact (or at > least close) replicas of desktop equivalents. The web is a different > animal, and it should be treated as such. > > Also, I love the idea of labeling email instead of sticking it into > folders. The folder model is severely broken. It's an implementation > model - it just reflects the design of the underlying system. But I'm > don't think like a computer - I think like me. I want to categorize > things in a variety of ways, not just into singular folders. Foldering > is an old metaphor that has lived on way too long. > > And I love that conversations are put together into a single thread on > a single page. This is how real conversations happen, and it makes > sense, and it means I don't have to remember the context for every > message. > > -r- > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe ................ http://gamma.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://gamma.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://gamma.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://gamma.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://gamma.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://gamma.ixda.org/help
